Wig drying apparatus

ABSTRACT

AN ATTACHMENT FOR HAIR DRIERS HAVING A SEMI-SPHERICAL DRYING HOOD. APPARATUS TO BE USED WITH A CONVENTIONAL HAIR DRIER FOR DRYING ONE OR SEVERAL WIGS AT THE SAME TIME COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE, TRANSPARENT ENCLOSURE HAVING AN OPENING FOR RECEIVING THE HOOD OF A HAIR DRIER, MEANS FOR SECURING THE OPENING OF SAID ENCLOSURE ABOUT THE HOOD OF A HAIR DRIER WITHOUT ALLOWING SUBSTANTIAL AIR LEAKAGE, A RIGID PLATFORM DISPOSED WITHIN THE TRANSPARENT ENCLOSURE, AND A VALVE MOUNTED IN A WALL OF THE ENCLOSURE, SAID VALVE BEING ADJUSTABLE TO CONTROL THE RATE OF DRYING WHILE MAINTAINING A BACK PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT THE ENCLOSURE IN AN INFLATED CONDITION UNDER VARIOUS CONDITIONS OF PRESSURE AND AIR TEMPERATURE.

p 1971 L. F. WlLLAT WIG DRYING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 11, 1969 ATTOKNEVS United States Patent 3,608,203 WIG DRYING APPARATUS Leon F. Willat, 12 Sky Road, Mill Valley, Calif. 94941 Filed Dec. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 884,161 Int. Cl. F26b 19/00 US. Cl. 34--91 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An attachment for hair driers having a semi-spherical drying hood. Apparatus to be used with a conventional hair drier for drying one or several wigs at the same time comprising a flexible, transparent enclosure having an opening for receiving the hood of a. hair drier, means for securing the opening of said enclosure about the hood of a hair drier without allowing substantial air leakage, a rigid platform disposed within the transparent enclosure, and a valve mounted in a wall of the enclosure, said valve being adjustable to control the rate of drying while maintaining a back pressure sufiicient to support the enclosure in aninflated condition under various conditions of pressure and air temperature.

This invention relates generally to an apparatus for drying wigs, falls or other hairpieces with a conventional hair drier of the type found in most beauty salons. The invention more particularly relates to an apparatus which may be attached to the hood of conventional hair driers.

The present state of the art to which this invention relates includes devices such as a clothes drying bag and a wig support which are used in combination with a hair drier. The most pertinent publications known to applicant which disclose such devices are found in US. Pats. 2,975,529; 3,264,755; and 3,376,656.

In brief, the present invention involves a novel arrangement of a wig drying apparatus that may be used as an attachment to the hood of a conventional hair drier. In general, the apparatus comprises a flexible transparent enclosure having an opening for receiving the hood of a hair drier. Means is provided for securing the opening of the enclosure around the hood of the hair drier without allowing substantial air leakage through the opening. A rigid platform disposed within the enclosure provides a support for one or several wig-blocks and wigs which are to be dried. In addition, a valve means is provided in a wall of the enclosure, said valve being adjustable to control the flow of air from the enclosure while maintaining a back pressure sufficient to support the plastic enclosure in an inflated condition under various drying conditions.

*It is one object of the present invention to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive wig drying apparatus which may be used as an attachment in combination with hair driers commonly found in beauty salons.

Another object of the invention is to provide wig drying apparatus of the kind described which is relatively compact and easily attached or removed from the hood of conventional hair driers.

Another object of the invention is to provide Wig drying apparatus of the kind described which folds flat when not in use as a convenience for storage.

A further object is to provide a wig drying apparatus of the kind described which will accommodate several wigs at one time and efficiently dried with the assistance of but one hair drier.

A still further object is to provide a wig drying apparatus of the kind described including means for controlling the rate of drying under various drying conditions.

Various other objects of this invention will become apparent in view of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like parts are identified by like reference numerals throughout the same,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention as applied with a conventional hair drier as normally found in beauty salons; and

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.

As illustrated in the drawings, one embodiment of the present invention comprises a transparent enclosure 10 made of a flexible plastic material. The upper end of enclosure 10 is formed with an opening 10a that communicates with the interior of a hood 11 which is a part of a conventional hair drier. Hair driers of this type are usually employed by most beauty salons in conjunction with a chair having a seat 12 and a pair of arm rests 13. It is further to be understood that the hair drier apparatus comprises blower means for moving heated air into hood 11 from which it is ejected downwardly over and around the scalp of a person sitting in the chair.

Opening 10a is secured about the lower end of hood 11 by means of an elastic band 14, said band having sufficient elasticity and holding force to secure the upper end of the enclosure 10' without allowing substantial air leakage. Enclosure 10 is also formed with a diagonal zipper 15 which, when opened, provides an access for inserting or removing wigs or other hairpieces from the enclosure.

A valve device 16, mounted in the front Wall of the enclosure, comprises a rotary valve element which may be adjusted to control the rate of air flow from the enclosure, thus maintaining a back pressure sufficient to support the enclosure in an inflated condition. The setting of valve 16 may also be selected to control the rate of drying which is influenced by the pressure supplied by the air blower and the temperature of the air introduced into the enclosure.

A platform 17 disposed within the enclosure means provides a support for wig blocks and Wigs placed in the enclosure. The shape of the platform is substantially rectangular and complements the size and shape of the bottom Wall of enclosure 10.

In operation, enclosure 10 and platform 17 are supported upon arms 13 of the chair, the bottom wall of the enclosure being in spaced relation to the lower end of hood 11. More particularly, the vertical height of the enclosure is substantially equal to the vertical distance between the bottom -wall of the hood and the arms 13. One or several wigs or hairpieces may then be placed within the enclosure and upon support blocks as shown, each being inserted through the opening provided by diagonal zipper 15. When the blower of the hair drier is turned on, hot air forced out of hood 11 moves downwardly into the interior of enclosure 10. Valve 16 is then adjusted to provide the necessary back pressure for maintaining the enclosure in' an inflated condition while simultaneously controlling the rate of air flow from the enclosure.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, various modifications and changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and each of such changes and modifications is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. A wig drying apparatus for attachment to and use in combination with a hair drier having a hood and means for blowing heated air from said hood, comprising: means defining a flexible enclosure having an opening for receiving the hood of a hair drier; means for securing the opening of said enclosure means about the hood without allowing substantial air leakage; a rigid platform disposed within said flexible enclosure means; and a valve mounted in the Wall of said enclosure means for metering the rate of air flow from the enclosure, said valve means being adjustable to control the rate of drying while maintaining a back pressure sufficient to support the enclosure means in an inflated condition under various drying conditions.

2. The wig drying apparatus of claim 1, said enclosure means having a diagonal zipper that provides an access opening for inserting and removing wigs and wig supports from the enclosure.

3. The wig drying apparatus of claim 1, said enclosure means being made of a transparent plastic material.

4. The wig drying apparatus of claim 1, said means for securing the opening of said enclosure about the hood of a drier comprising an elastic band.

5. The wig drying apparatus of claim 1, said rigid platform having a substantially rectangular shape and size that complements the bottom wall of said enclosure means.

6. In combination with a hair drier having a hood and means for blowing heated air from said hood; means defining a flexible enclosure having an opening for receiving the hood of the hair drier, means for securing the opening of said flexible enclosure means about the hood without allowing substantial air leakage, a rigid platform disposed within said flexible enclosure means, and a valve mounted in the wall of said flexible enclosure means for metering the rate of air flow from the enclosure, said valve being adjustable to control the rate of drying While maintaining a back pressure sufficient to support the enclosure means in an inflated condition under various drying conditions; and means for supporting the rigid platform, together with said flexible enclosure means, at a spaced distance from the hood of said drier; whereby the air pressure of said hair drier and the setting of said valve cause the flexible enclosure to become inflated as to an interior space for drying Wigs or other hairpieces.

References Cited FREDERICK L. MATTESON, IR., Primary Examiner H. B. RAMEY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

